Device for picking poultry



Mam zo, 128.. 1,662,972 H. G. HUEY ET AL.

DEVICE FOR PICKING POULTRY Filed Dec. 27, 1924 ends of the rim the bearin Patented hier..V 2d, i923.

NETE@ STTS HORACE G'. HUEY AND DONALD Y. PIERSON, VINELAND, JERSEY.

DEVICE FOR PICKING POULTRY.

Application led December 27, 1924. Serial No. 758,419.

Our invention relates to an improvement in devices for pickingpoultry and particularly to a mechanically operated device for removing the feathers and down from chickens, ducks and other poultry. i

An object is'to provide a device of this character, including a rapidly moving member by which the feathers are knocked out or plucked and are discharged away from the working parts.

A further object resides in so constructing the parts that the device can be used efficiently and with facility by a person without special training, and that the mechanism will not become readily clogged with feathers or be otherwise rendered inoperative or inellicient.

A still further object is to provide a structure which is manually adjustable to suit various conditions of use, and which will automatically adjust to meet variations encountered when in operation.

lVith these and other objects in view, which will be apparent from the specification, drawings and claims, our invention comprises certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will now be set forth.

ln the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is a View in elevation et the picking shuttle.

Fig. 4l is a fragmentary sectional view to show the manner of mounting the picking shuttle in the frame.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the picking head.

The 'frame l'has a substantially U-shaped rim iange 2, and the handle 3 is connected on one side of the frame to extend rearwardly bevond the loop of the rim. At the 4 and 5 are provided, bushings v6 and being shown within the bearings.

A head shaft 8 is journaled in the bearings 4 and 5 and has a picking head 9 thereon. The curved picking blades 10 and 11 are carried by this head and extend substantially radially therefrom, as best shown in Fig. 5. The edges 12 and 13 of the blades are preferably rounded to thus avoid sharp edges or corners.

The bottom of the frame is shorter than the rim at its forward edge, and an adjustt able shoe 1li-is fitted at this edge: Screws 15 pass through the slots 16 in the shoe/to hold the shoe in adjusted positions. This shoe is reduced and thinned at its forward edge 17. A -The frame l yhas the guide grooves 18 and 19 formedlongitudinally in the inner sides of the rim adjacent the bottom, and a picking shuttle 20 is provided with guide flanges 21 and 22 which lit and slide in the grooves 65 18 and 19 to mount the picking shuttle for reciprocatory movement upon the bottom of the frame. The picking shuttle has its forward edge reduced on the upper side, and

sliding movement of the Shuttle is limited by a stop screw 23. The stop screw is so arranged that forward movement of the shuttle is stopped with the reduced edge thereof in position to be engaged by the' blades 10 and 11 as the head 9 is rotated. A slide rod 24 is connected with the picking shuttle and extends rearwardly through an opening 25 in the loop of flange 2. A coil spring 26 is fitted around rod 24 to resiliently oppose rearward movement of the 50 shuttle, and a tension adjusting nut 27 is provided on the rod. v

A power shaft 28 extends through the handle 3, a miter gear 29 being fixed on this inner end. Flexible shaft 30 is coupled with 85 the outer end of the power shaft, and at its remaining end is connected with the shaft of an electric motor, or with any other suitable source of power. A. miter gear 31 on one end of head shaft 8 is in mesh with gear`29 90- on the end of power shaft 28, v

ln the use of the device the picking head is driven at a high speed in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, and las the device is moved over the body of the fowl, with the 9s shoe in contact with the skin, the feathers are engaged by the rounded edges l2 and 13 of the blades and are knocked or plucked out. As the rounded edges of the blades approach the edge of the picking shuttle they ,pick at the feathers closely adjacent the skin and all small feathers, down and pin-feathers will be lucked. The rapid rotation of the picking head causes the feathers to be thrown out rearwardly where they will not clog the working parts. Shoe 14 can be adjusted to provide more or less clearance for the rounded edges of the blades to suit various conditions of use, and the picking shuttle is regulated by the adjustable spring to give any desired pull. The picking head can be provided with a single lES lit)

blades can be made of any suitable material and in any suitable form.

While in the foregoing we have shown and described only one articular embodiment, it will be ap reciate that changes and variations can made in the form and arrangement of the parts in view of which we do not wish to be limited to the exact disclosure, but only to such points as may be embodied in the claims.

We claim:

1. A device for picking poultry comprisy ing a support, a shoe carried bythe support, a picking head revolubly mounted ad]acent .the shoe, and a handle associated with the support offset to one side of the line in which feathers are discharged by the picking head.

2. A device for picking poultry comprising a support, a shoe, a rotatable picking head adjacent the shoe, a handle offset to one side of the line in which feathers are discharged by the picking head, and va power plonection through said handle to lrotate the In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

HORACE G. HUEY. DONALD Y.. PIERSON. 

